U.S. patent application number 13/953930 was filed with the patent office on 2014-07-31 for retaining apparatus for expansion cards.
This patent application is currently assigned to HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.. The applicant listed for this patent is HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to YU-SHUN CHANG, HSUAN-CHANG CHEN, CHUNG-PING LIU.
Application Number | 20140209766 13/953930 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51221880 |
Filed Date | 2014-07-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140209766 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CHANG; YU-SHUN ; et
al. |
July 31, 2014 |
RETAINING APPARATUS FOR EXPANSION CARDS
Abstract
A retaining apparatus includes a first bracket, a second
bracket, and an operation member. The first bracket includes two
sidewalls. The second bracket includes two side plates slidably
attached to the sidewalls, respectively. The operation member
includes an operation portion, a mounting piece fixed to the second
sidewall, and an engaging piece. A flange extends from one of the
side plates of the second bracket. When the second bracket and the
first bracket slide toward each other, the engaging piece abuts
against a first end of the flange. The operation portion is pressed
inward to release the engaging piece from the flange, and the
second bracket is slid out relative to the first bracket until the
engaging piece is restored to abut against a second end of the
flange.
Inventors: |
CHANG; YU-SHUN; (New Taipei,
TW) ; CHEN; HSUAN-CHANG; (New Taipei, TW) ;
LIU; CHUNG-PING; (New Taipei, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD. |
New Taipei |
|
TW |
|
|
Assignee: |
HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO.,
LTD.
New Taipei
TW
|
Family ID: |
51221880 |
Appl. No.: |
13/953930 |
Filed: |
July 30, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/201 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 1/185 20130101;
F16M 13/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/201 |
International
Class: |
H05K 13/04 20060101
H05K013/04; F16M 13/02 20060101 F16M013/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 29, 2013 |
CN |
2013100328153 |
Claims
1. A retaining apparatus comprising: a first bracket comprising a
first sidewall and a second sidewall parallel to the first
sidewall, the second sidewall defining a slide slot; a second
bracket comprising two side plates parallel to each other, wherein
the side plates are slidably attached to the first sidewall and the
second sidewall, respectively, one of the side plates forms a
flange slidably inserted in the slide slot of the second sidewall;
and an operation member comprising an operation portion, a mounting
piece and an engaging portion extending from opposite sides of the
operation portion, the mounting piece is fixed to the second
sidewall, the engaging portion contacts with an inner surface of
the second sidewall facing the first sidewall; wherein the first
bracket and the second bracket are operable to be moved toward each
other for retaining a first size expansion card, the flange slides
in the slide slot, until the flange engages with a left inner
sidewall bounding the slide slot, a left end of the engaging
portion engages with a right end of the flange; and wherein the
operation portion is operable to be pressed away from the second
sidewall to release the left end of the engaging portion from the
right end of the flange, the first bracket and the second bracket
are moved away from each other for retaining a second size
expansion card greater than the first size expansion card in
length, the flange slides in the slide slot until the flange
engages with a right inner sidewall bounding the slide slot, the
engaging portion is restored to contact with the inner surface of
the second sidewall, a left end of the engaging portion engages
with a right end of the flange.
2. The retaining apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first bracket
further comprises a bottom wall and an end wall extending from an
end of the bottom wall, the first sidewall extends from a first
side of the bottom wall, the second sidewall is detachably mounted
to a second side of the bottom wall.
3. The retaining apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a
retaining member, wherein the retaining member comprises a main
plate and two bar-shaped connecting arms connected substantially
perpendicularly to opposite sides of the main plate, ends of the
connecting arms away from the main plate are pivotably connected to
upper portions of ends of the first sidewall and the second
sidewall away from the end wall, respectively, the connecting arms
contact with outer surfaces of the first sidewall and the second
sidewall, respectively.
4. The retaining apparatus of claim 2, wherein two horizontal first
bars protrude from the first sidewall, two first slide slots are
respectively defined in the first bars, two horizontal second bars
protrude from the second sidewall respectively, two second slide
slots are respectively defined in the second bars, a first flange
and a second flange extend out from two opposite sides of a first
end of each side plate, the first flanges and the second flanges
are slidably inserted into the first slide slots and the second
slide slots, respectively, the flange is one of the second flanges
formed at a bottom side of one of the side plates contacting with
the second sidewall, the slide slot of the second sidewall is a
lower one of the second slide slots.
5. The retaining apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first flanges
each form a resilient piece, the resilient pieces engage with inner
surfaces of the first bar and the second bar respectively.
6. The retaining apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first sidewall
defines two first positioning holes adjacent to the end wall and
two second positioning holes away from the end wall, the second
sidewall defines two first positioning holes adjacent to the end
wall and two second positioning holes away from the end wall, two
raised positioning portions respectively extend from an upper
portion and a lower portion of the first end of each side plate
away from the end plate, the positioning portions engage in either
the first positioning holes of the first and second sidewalls or
the second positioning holes of the first and second sidewalls,
respectively.
7. The retaining apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a
limiting member, wherein the limiting member comprises a mounting
end fixed to the second sidewall adjacent to the operation member,
a limiting end, and a connecting pole connected between the
mounting end and the limiting end, the engaging portion of the
operation member is limited between the inner surface of the second
sidewall and the limiting ends.
8. The retaining apparatus of claim 1, wherein a through hole is
defined in the second sidewall and aligns with the operation
portion, the operation portion is exposed out of the second
sidewall through the through hole.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] The disclosure relates to retaining apparatuses and, more
particularly, to a retaining apparatus for mounting expansion
cards.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Expansion cards having different sizes are generally
installed in a chassis of an electronic device, such as a computer
or a server, with a retaining apparatus receiving the expansion
cards. However, each type of retaining apparatus is uniquely
designed for a expansion cards of a particular size only.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better
understood with reference to the following drawings. The components
in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis
instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of
the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, all the views
are schematic, and like reference numerals designate corresponding
parts throughout the several views.
[0006] FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of an embodiment of a
retaining apparatus for an expansion card.
[0007] FIG. 2 is an assembled, isometric view of the retaining
apparatus of FIG. 1.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a cutaway view of FIG. 2.
[0009] FIG. 4 is an assembled, isometric view of the retaining
apparatus of FIG. 1, together with a first expansion card.
[0010] FIG. 5 is an assembled, isometric view of the retaining
apparatus of FIG. 1, together with a second expansion card.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is
illustrated by way of examples and not by way of limitation. It
should be noted that references to "an" or "one" embodiment in this
disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such
references mean "at least one."
[0012] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an exemplary embodiment of a
retaining apparatus includes a first bracket 10, a second bracket
20, a retaining member 30, an operation member 40, and two limiting
members 50.
[0013] The first bracket 10 includes a bottom wall 11, a first
sidewall 12 perpendicularly extending up from a first side of the
bottom wall 11, a second sidewall 13 detachably fixed to a second
side of the bottom wall 11 and parallel to the first sidewall 12,
and an end wall 14 extending up from an end of the bottom wall 11
and connected between the first and second sidewalls 12 and 13. Two
horizontal first bars 121 protrude from an upper portion and a
lower portion of the first sidewall 12, respectively. A first slide
slot 122 is defined in each first bar 121. The first sidewall 12
defines two first positioning holes 124 adjacent to the end wall
14, and two second positioning holes 125 away from the end wall 14.
The first sidewall 12 defines a pivot hole 129 in an upper corner
away from the end wall 14. The bottom wall 11 supports a circuit
board (not shown in figures) for connecting an expansion card.
[0014] Two horizontal second bars 131 protrude from an upper
portion and a lower portion of the second sidewall 13,
respectively. A second slide slot 132 is defined in each second bar
131. The second sidewall 13 defines two first positioning holes 134
adjacent to the end wall 14, and two second positioning holes 135
away from the end wall 14. Two fixing holes 136 are defined in a
middle of a lower portion of the second sidewall 13. A
substantially rectangular through hole 137 is defined in the second
sidewall 13 and above the fixing holes 136. Two mounting holes 138
are defined in the second sidewall 13 at opposite sides of the
through hole 137. The second sidewall 13 defines a pivot hole 139
in an upper corner away from the end wall 14, and the pivot hole
139 aligns with the pivot hole 129.
[0015] The second bracket 20 is substantially U-shaped and includes
an end plate 21 and two side plates 22 perpendicularly extending
from opposite sides of the end plate 21. A first flange 221 and a
second flange 222 extend out from two opposite sides respectively
of a first end of each side plate 22 away from the end plate 21.
Each first flange 221 defines a through slot and forms a resilient
piece 223 in the through slot. Two raised positioning portions 225
respectively extend from an upper portion and a lower portion of
the first end of each side plate 22.
[0016] The retaining member 30 includes a main plate 31 defining a
plurality of vents, and two bar-shaped connecting arms 32 connected
substantially perpendicularly to opposite sides of the main plate
31. The connecting arms 32 each form a pivot portion 321 away from
the main plate 31.
[0017] The operation member 40 includes an operation portion 41, a
mounting piece 42 extending down from a bottom of the operation
portion 41, and an engaging piece 43 extending up from a top of the
operation portion 41. Two columnar pins 421 are formed on the
mounting piece 42.
[0018] The limiting members 50 each are substantially
dumbbell-shaped and include a mounting end 51, a limiting end 52,
and a connecting pole 53 connected between the mounting end 51 and
the limiting end 52.
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, in assembly, the pins 421 are
fixed to the fixing holes 136 to fix the operation member 40 to an
inner surface of the second sidewall 13 facing the first sidewall
12. The operation portion 41 is exposed out of the second sidewall
13 through the through hole 137. The engaging piece 43 contacts an
inner surface of the second sidewall 13. The mounting ends 51 of
the limiting members 50 are fixed in the mounting holes 138 to fix
the limiting members 50 to the inner surface of the second sidewall
13. The engaging portion 43 is limited between the inner surface of
the second sidewall 13 and the limiting ends 52.
[0020] The side plates 22 sandwich the first bracket 10. The first
flanges 221 and the second flanges 222 are slidably inserted into
the first slide slots 122 and the second slide slots 132. The
resilient pieces 223 abut against outer surfaces of the first
sidewall 12 and the second sidewall 13.
[0021] The pivot portions 321 are pivotably received in the pivot
hole 129 and the pivot hole 139. The connecting arms 32 contact
with outer surfaces of the first sidewall 12 and the second
sidewall 13. One end of the main plate 31 away from the pivot
portions 321 is detachably locked to a top of the end wall 14 by a
hook and a locking hole structure (not shown in figures).
[0022] Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, when mounting a first
expansion card 100, the first bracket 10 and the second bracket 20
are slid toward each other. The first flanges 221 and the second
flanges 222 slide in the first slide slots 122 and the second slide
slots 132, respectively, until the first flanges 221 and the second
flanges 222 engage with inner sidewalls bounding the first slide
slots 122 and the second slide slots 132 adjacent to the end wall
14. A left end of the engaging portion 43 engages with a right end
of one of the second flanges 222 adjacent to the second sidewall
13. The positioning portions 225 engage in the first positioning
holes 124 and 134.
[0023] When mounting a second expansion card 200, which is greater
in length than the first expansion card 100, the operation portion
41 is pressed away from the second sidewall 13 to release the left
end of the engaging portion 43 from the right end of the second
flange 222, and the first bracket 10 and the second bracket 20 are
moved away from each other. The first flanges 221 and the second
flanges 222 slide along the first slide slots 122 and the second
slide slots 132, until the first flanges 221 and the second flanges
222 engage with inner sidewalls bounding the first slide slots 122
and the second slide slots 132 away from the end wall 14. The
operation portion 41 is released, and the engaging portion 43 is
restored to contact with the second sidewall 13. A right end of the
engaging portion 43 engages with a left end of one of the second
flanges 222 adjacent to the second sidewall 13. The positioning
portions 225 are received in the second positioning holes 125 and
135. Therefore, the retaining apparatus is adjustable to
accommodate expansion cards of different lengths.
[0024] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous
characteristics and advantages of certain embodiments have been set
forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the
structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is
illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in
matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the
principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the
broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are
expressed.
* * * * *